OPINION:
It took Virginia Democrats exactly five days to look at a massive budget surplus and say, “You know what this state needs? Less money in the taxpayers’ pockets.”
Fresh off taking a government trifecta in November and newly installed in the statehouse and governor’s mansion, Democrats have hit the ground running — toward your bank account.
Despite inheriting a tidy $2.7 billion surplus from the tenure of Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin (part of a $10 billion surplus he created that went to tax relief and schools), the new administration and commonwealth lawmakers just want more of your money.
The ink on the swearing-in documents was barely dry before Democrats in the General Assembly unleashed a torrent of more than 50 new tax proposals — and counting. The website tracking their many tax bills is practically smoking trying to keep up, and Gov. Abigail Spanberger, another Democrat, will surely sign into law every one that makes it to her desk.
Among the endless tax bills is HB334, which “authorizes all counties and cities to impose an additional local sales and use tax at a rate not to exceed one percent, with the revenue used only for capital projects for the construction or renovation of schools.”
Because nothing says “we love education” like making your groceries more expensive.
Then there’s the creative genius of HB243. This beauty “imposes on large employers, as defined in the bill, a corporate welfare tax equal to 100 percent of the qualified employee benefits received by any employees of such large employer residing in the Commonwealth.”
And what are these “qualified federal benefits”? They include supplemental nutrition assistance, school lunches and the “amount of payments made under the Social Security Act.” Essentially, if a company hires someone who relies on the safety net, the state is going to fine the company for the privilege.
There’s so much more. If you enjoy the Second Amendment, get ready to pay for it. HB919 imposes “a firearm and ammunition tax equal to 11 percent of the gross receipts from the retail sale of any firearm or ammunition by a dealer.”
Do you live in Northern Virginia and enjoy the convenience of modern life? HB900 slaps an extra tax on every “retail delivery.” Yes, that includes Amazon, Uber Eats and FedEx.
And for those who dare to invest their money, HB378 “imposes a net investment income tax on individuals, trusts, and estates beginning in the taxable year 2027. The tax is generally equal to 3.8 percent of the lesser of (i) net investment income … or (ii) federal modified adjusted gross income … reduced by $500,000.”
If you were foolish enough to be successful, they’ve got you there too. HB188 “establishes a new income tax bracket beginning in the taxable year 2026 that taxes income in excess of $1 million at a rate of 10 percent.” Not rich enough? HB979 creates another bracket for those earning “in excess of $600,000 but not in excess of $1,000,000.”
If you thought you could escape the taxman by going to a concert or a monster truck rally, think again. HB550 allows counties “to levy a tax on admissions for attendance at an event.” What qualifies? The bill helpfully clarifies “any event.”
Even your gardening isn’t safe. HB557 “establishes a separate classification of tangible personal property for electric-powered landscaping equipment employed in a trade or business,” targeting everything from lawn mowers to leaf blowers. And if you prefer gas-powered blowers? HB881 lets localities ban them entirely.
But the piece de resistance is HB978. The summary alone is a novel, but the highlight reel is simply a tax on basic existence. The bill “levies the retail sales and use tax on the following services: admissions; charges for recreation, fitness, or sports facilities; non-medical personal services or counseling; dry cleaning and laundry services; companion animal care; residential home repair or maintenance, landscaping, or cleaning services when paid for directly by a resident or homeowner; vehicle and engine repair; repairs or alterations to tangible personal property; storage of tangible personal property; delivery or shipping services; travel, event, and aesthetic planning services; and digital services.”
That’s right: Dog walking, dry cleaning and getting your car fixed are now luxury items worthy of taxation.
When the Democrats weren’t creating new taxes, they offered bills giving illegal aliens free education, replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day, swapping out speed limits for speed cameras and banning “assault weapons.”
So welcome to the new Virginia. Hope you saved up.
• Joseph Curl covered the White House and politics for a decade for The Washington Times. He can be reached at josephcurl@gmail.com and on Twitter @josephcurl.
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